Disney To Launch Netflix-Style Service
Disney is planning to start its own online streaming services for films, shows and sports. The media giant says it will launch an ESPN-branded sports service early next year and a streaming subscription in 2019.
Disney will end its first-run movie output deal with Netflix in 2019, meaning most of its films will no longer feature on other streaming services.
There will be one streaming service for sports, while another will host films and TV shows, in a similar way to Netflix does at the moment.
It means that upcoming movies like Toy Story 4 and Frozen 2 will probably go straight onto Disney's new streaming platform after they've been shown in cinemas, enticing many families to join.
Disney's CEO Bob Iger said "No one is better positioned to lead the industry into this dynamic new era, and we're accelerating our strategy to be at the forefront of this transformation".
Netflix said “US Netflix members will have access to Disney films on the service through the end of 2019", and says it will "continue to do business with the Walt Disney Company on many fronts".